bomba

Many people mistakenly believe that the origins of Bomba and the origins of Plena are the same, or at least similar. But that is not the case. I'll give you one quick fact that addresses this myth. Bomba originated around the 17th…

A song that meets the past with the future, "Yo Soy Atabal" is the new single (here I include the official video) of the legendary Puerto Rican folk group. "Yo Soy Atabal" is both a tribute to its founder, Hector Luis Rodriguez as to the…

A recent New York Times article highlighted the resurgence of the folk Puerto Rican rhythm of Bomba. The NYT article "Bomba: The Enduring Anthem of Puerto Rico" is a well-intention piece on the renaissance of this once dormant folk…

Hector "Atabal" Rodriguez is one of those people that followed his passion to not only make a living but more importantly, to make a difference. He founded the group that bears his nickname, choosing the difficult path of focusing their…

The "Rincón Criollo" is a small place in New York City, but I believe all of us could have our own. “La Casita” at the "Rincón Criollo" The "Rincón Criollo" is a small piece of land in the middle of New York City, which has a small wooden…

This week I read an excellent newspaper article about the involvement of legendary bandleader Rafael Cortijo with Calypso music. In this blog I'll provide a historical framework to it. Cortijo, the Calypso, and the Antillean Connection…

If you have less than 2 minutes and care about the Puerto Rican music rhythm of Bomba, here's a great snippet of Bomba history. A main Puerto Rican newspaper published a short article on 5 early influencers of Bomba. It was from these…

Para seguir con el tema de Ismael Rivera Jr., aqui les traigo un video de Ismaelito cuando estaba con la orquesta de Rafael Cortijo cantando una "bomba" bien sabrosa titulada "Estanislao". Rafael Cortijo fue un estandarte de la Bomba y…

One of the most energetic groups to listen and watch performing live, Plena Libre launched its 15th recording in 19 years with the release of "Corazon". This album was launched in December 2012 in Puerto Rico, and in February 2013 in the…